Water-check for ditches



E. F. BRIDGES AND 0. K'. WARD.

WATER CHECK FOR BITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJL 1920.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

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WATER CHECK FOR DITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED- AUG.. 1920;

1 374,8 1 7. Patented Apr 12,1921.

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EARL F. BRIDGES AND CHESTER K. WARD, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

WATER-CHECK FOR DITCI-IES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 12, 1921;

Application filed August 6, 1920. Serial No. 401,598.

States, residing at Lincolinin the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Water-Checks for Ditches; and we do declare the followin to-be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved device for installation in a ditch, lmownas a ditch check; and it has for its object to provide a novel and simple device of this class which serves, in some instances, as a dam, and in other instances where the elevation of the bottom of the ditch changes, as a means for reinforcing the banks of the ditch.

, Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this class which is in the form of a pre-cast unit made up of two end sections and one or more intermediate sections, each of said sections being of a size .the only necessary tool to be employed.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned 7 class made up of sections in which-horizontal and vertical metal reinforcing rods are embedded, the ends of the horizontal rods at the meeting edges of the various sections being exposed so as to serve as a novel means for connecting said sections together to form the aforesaid unit.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and 1n which l ke numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

'F-igure 1 is a front elevation of a device constructed in accordance with my invention.

'Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged deta l sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the/direction of the arrows. 1

Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional View taken on the line l4e of Fig. 1, showing one way of installing the device in an irrigation ditch. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of two of the sections of the device disconnected.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is,

disclosed, the numeral 1 designates, as a whole, one of the units, a number of which Wlll be installed at various spaced intervals in the ditch, and when in position will extend crosswise of the same. As before indi-,

cated, each unit is madeup of at least two end sections 2 and one or more intermediate or central sections 3. By preference, these sections are made of concrete although they may be made of any other suitable material. Each section includesa vertical wall 4:, between the upper and lower edges of which is a forwardly and laterally extending shelflike member 5 which is designedto rest on the bottom of the ditch as illustrated in Fig. 4c. WVhen in such position, the wall above this member serves as a check or dam while the portion of the wall belowit serves as an anchoring leg. The two end sections are provided at their outer ends and adjacent the topwith upstanding extensions 6 which form between them, a water passage 7 These extensions when thedevice is in place, are embedded in the wall of the ditch, and their inner edges aresubstantiall flush with the opposed walls of the ditch. n this way,

thewater is caused to pass through the space 7 and prevented from passing around the;

extensions 6' and loosening the device or forming cavities in the walls of the ditch. The water in coming down the ditch will flow through the space 7 and drop onto the members 5 which serve as a splash-board and prevent the formation of cavities directly in front of thewall 4:. 7 As the water falls on themembers 5, it will have a tendency to spread and form cavities in the opposed vertical walls of the ditch. This, of

course, is not desirable and we have provided means for preventing such circumstances. This means consists of two substantially triangular plates 8 which are carthe grooveS which is formed in these section 'fortheir reception. When the units and will be retainedin position by said walls ried by the end sections2, being seated in and by the water on the opposite sides thereof. However, if desirable they may be cemented or otherwise secured in place.

It has been before indicated that we employ novel reinforcing means for the various sections of the device. This reinforcing means, as usual, consists in the employment of a plurality of horizontally 'and vertically disposed reinforcing rods 9 which are embedded in the sections in the manner disclosed. In order to double the usefulness of these horizontal rods so that they will serve the additional function indicated, we bend the ends thereof laterally to form hooks 10. It is desirable to expose these hooks and so we form recesses or cavities in the blocks at I the points where the hooks are located. Only one end of the horizontal reinforcing rods of the end members 2 is exposed... The reason for this is clearly obvious. With this construction, it will be seen that when the sections are placed end to end, the hooks 10 will be opposite one another so that, by employing a piece of wire 11 or other material, the sections maybe conveniently connected together in the manner disclosed. If desirable, the recesses may be afterward filled with concrete to insure against displacement of the connecting wire 11. This is an extremely advantageous constructional feature to be considered since it is extremely simple, convenient and extremely easy to make use of and obviates the necessity of employing special fastening means which consumes much time and adds to the cost of employment of such a device.

By referring to Fig. 4: an idea of the manner of installation of one of the units may be obtained. In this figure the device'is shown installed in an irrigation ditch, it being intended to serve in this instance as a dam. The letter D indicates the ditch and the letter indicates the water in the ditch on one side of the upstanding part of the vertical wall t which has been dammed up and which will flow over the walls of the ditch covering the desired area in the usual manner. Attention is directed to the fact that when the device is so used, the depending parts of the walls 4 of the sections serve as anchoring legs and also prevent water from passing downwardly through the ground and beneath the horizontal splashmembers 5 which would tend to loosen the device and cause it to become displaced. Some of the water will flow through the space 7 between the extensions 6 and will drop down on the members 5, which prevent the formation of a cavity immediately in front of the wall a as would otherwise occur. The water in striking this member, as be fore stated, will spread and have a tendency to form cavities in the vertical walls of the ditch. This, however, is prevented by employment of the side plates 7 The device need not necessarily be used in the exact manner shown, since it may be used in various other ways according to the type of ditch in which it is installed. F or instance, it may be effectively used in ditches where the elevation changes such as where steps appear. It may then be used at the point where such steps occur, and the upstanding part of the wall 4: will effectively retain the bank against which it is placed in proper condition. Furthermore the device will effectively protect the banks of the ditch in the manner already described.-

A careful consideration of the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings will enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention relates, to obtain a clear understanding of the same, therefore, further description is deemed unnecessary.

Effective and advantageous results can, no doubt, be obtained and insured with the construction described and shown. However, we do not desire to limit ourselves to this exact construction since various minor changes maybe made in theshape, size and arrangement of parts so long as they remain within the scope of the claims and do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have perfected an extremely advantageous device for installation in ditches which possesses many novel features of construction which permit it to be extremely easily and readily installed. One of the features resides in the fact that the units are made up of a plurality of precast sections of av size and weight to enable one or two men to very conveniently assemble the device and install it in a ditch without using special tools. By precast We mean that the device is already cast or" concrete or other suitable material and comes to the user ready'for installation. Another extremely important feature to keep in mind is that the reinforcing rods of the device serve a double function, that is, they are soarranged and embedded that they serve as a novel means for connecting the sections of the device together. Furthermore, the employment of the side plates which are carried by the end sections increases the efficiency of the device in that it prevents formation of cavities in the vertical walls of the ditch.

WVe claim:

1. A water check for ditches comprising a unit for transverse disposition in the ditch, including a horizontal splash-member for disposition on the bottom of the ditch, an anchoring leg, and a vertical wall rising from one end of said member, forming a dam, said member and wall having communicating grooves at their opposite ends, and end plates seated in said grooves, serving to protect the vertical side-walls of the ditch, against which they are placed.

2. A water check for ditches comprising a precast concrete unit for transverse disposition in a ditch including two end sections and a central section, placed end to end and connected together, each section including a vertical wall provided between its upper and lower ends with a forwardly and laterally extending shelf-like part which is designed to rest on the bottom of the ditch, the portion of the wall below this part forming an anchoring leg.

8. A water check for disposition in a ditch comprising a pre-cast concrete unit composed of end sections and an intermediate section placed end to end, each section including a horizontal splash-member to rest on the bottom of the ditch, an upstanding water check wall and anchoring means, the end sections being provided with grooves, and separate end plates seated in said grooves being adapted to protect the walls of the ditch a ainst which they are placed.

41-. A water check device for disposition in a ditch comprising a unit composed of a plurality of pre-cast concrete sections placed. end to end, each section including a vertical check wall, a horizontal splash-member for disposition against the bottom of the ditch, and anchoring means, metal reinforcing rods embedded in each section, the ends thereof being exposed, and means for connecting the exposed ends of the rods of the adjacent sections together.

5. A water check for transverse disposition in a ditch comprising a pre-cast concrete unit made up of two end sections and an intermediate section placed end to end to form an unbroken wall, each section including a vertical wall provided between its upper and lower edges with a laterally extending horizontal shelf-like part constituting a splash-member, the wall below 'it forming an anchoring leg and the wall above it forming a dam, the latter and splash member being provided adjacent their abutting edges with opposed recesses; the end sections having grooves formed therein, a plurality of horizontal and vertical reinforcing metal rods embedded in said sections, the ends of the horizontal rods extending into said recess and being bent laterally forward to form hooks, fastenings connecting the opposed hooks of the, adjacent sections, and plates seated in the aforesaid grooves and extending at right angles from the vertical walls and serving as means for protecting the opposite walls of the ditch.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

EARL F. BRIDGES. CHESTER K. WARD. 

